Many people were excited when Nintendo announced its partnership with DeNA. For years, the company has avoided making its characters or games available to Apple’s iPhone or devices running Google Android. After the DeNA partnership was announced, people assumed that the first fruits of this partnership would be a game featuring Mario or Pikachu. Instead, what we got was the Nintendo Miitomo.
Nintendo Miitomo is not the game you might think. It’s really half messaging app and half game. It combines social networking and communication with a reward system and purchasable items. The idea is that Nintendo Miitomo users can easily learn more about their friends and stay in touch. Instead of a boring interface, Miitomo integrates with Wii U and Miis from Wii. You can see your Mii characters and customize them with new outfits and extras. The in-game currency is for that, to buy new rewards and styles.
Here are some Nintendo Miitomo tips for those who downloaded the game/messaging app for iPhone or Android.
Answer As Many Questions As You Can For More Gold
If you’re a frequent smartphone gamer, you’re already familiar with in-game purchases. Activating in free games earns you currency that you can spend on other in-game events or rewards. Nintendo Miitomo allows users to collect gold, but it’s a really cool and personal way.
In Nintendo Miitomo you earn gold by answering questions about yourself. The more questions you answer; How much gold do you get? The app starts by asking you what your favorite food is. After completing the setup, you can return to the Questions menu to answer more. Periodically, Nintendo Miitomo holds special events. During these events, you get more in-game currency for answering the themed questions of that event.
You Can Skip Questions
Don’t feel a specific question or just want to dive into Nintendo Miitomo and get right back out? You can skip questions and come back to them at a later date. Answering questions makes the experience more fun, but there’s no pressure to answer anything you don’t want. You can delete the questions you answered from the Account Management area in the menu.
Definitely Create a Nintendo Account or Link
Eventually, Nintendo hopes to create an ecosystem based on the Nintendo Account. For now, Nintendo Accounts integrate well with Miitomo.
If you decide to reset your phone or delete Miitomo, you will be wishing to sign up for a Nintendo Account. These accounts are the only way to back up your content in the game/messaging app. You’ll also earn rewards for Nintendo’s Rewards program.
Nintendo Miitomo can be set up without a Nintendo Account, but don’t waste time creating a new account or importing an old one. You’ll thank yourself later.
Swipe Along the Edge of Your Screen
There’s a lot of text in Miitomo because you’re basically dialogue with your Mii. Instead of trying to tap the little triangle in the message bubbles, simply swipe from the right edge of your screen. This allows you to quickly switch between message bubbles.
Mute Your Miitomo
The Mii you create acts as a narrator. The first thing you need to do is go into the Nintendo Miitomo’s settings and turn off the audio narration. For starters, the sounds are a bit synthetic. Also, you must remember that your Miitomo can speak in a public place.
If you’re not sure you want to mute your Mii, try customizing it from the personality menu. At the very least, you can make the sound a little less distracting.
Share Your Miitomo QR Code
Many popular chat apps use QR Code as a quick way to get you links or other information. For example, they are found on the back of products you buy from retail stores. Nintendo Miitomo makes it possible to befriend other users with just a QR code you share online or with other people in the same room as you.
Go to the Menu area of the game to share your QR Code.
Definitely Facebook and Twitter Connection
I find it helpful for people to think of Nintendo Miitomo more as a social networking app than a game. Questions and gold are part of the experience, but if you haven’t made any friends, you’re not going to get anywhere with either. After all, part of the fun is seeing your friends answer questions.
You can use QR Codes to get details for everyone around you. For the rest, it’s easier to connect Nintendo Miitomo to Twitter or Facebook. Doing so increases the likelihood that relatives and friends who don’t live nearby will join the fun.
Good luck with Nintendo Miitomo.
